Of Mosaics and Magazines
by grvyson
Summary: [College AU] As Ginny, an aspiring journalist, begins her sophomore year at a new university, she stumbles upon the school's infamously strange arts student: Luna Lovegood.


Ginny fell in love with autumn the very first time she saw leaves change color. She remembered her older brothers showing her how to rake the leaves into a pile, and not long after, they would all jump into the pile together, disrupting any hope of productivity. She also remembered the exact way the trees back home were skirted, by pools of autumn gold and rusted leaves; and while September first quickly approached, soon enough Ginny was starting school at her new university.

Admittedly, University of Holyhead was very different from the local college Ginny attended last year for her prerequisites. Autumn felt similar but there were more browns and yellows surrounding the trees than at home, and the trees looked burdened with a peculiar sadness. The air was colder too; with much heavier winds, the leaves flew through the air in a dance, spinning around the tree trunks to their own tuneful rustling.

The first day of school progressed slowly, and by lunch, Ginny found herself drowning in notes and disorganization.

"I just don't get it," she started, before biting into her apple. "I have never had such bad anxiety."

"It happens, Gin." Neville chimed in between bites of his pasta salad.

"But Nev, I have _six_ , older brothers! I think I can handle pressure."

Neville simply shrugged. He knew Ginny since they were kids, but he started at Holyhead freshman year, instead of waiting like her. He also knew that trying to reason with such a strong and opinionated girl like Ginny was setting himself up to fail.

After a few minutes passed and Ginny opened her mouth to speak, her breath hitched in her throat.

"Who is she?" Ginny managed to ask, nodding in the direction of a girl across the cafeteria.

After looking over his shoulder to scope out Ginny's mystery girl, Neville responded, "Oh, that's Lovegood. She's the strange bird of the school, but a phenomenal artist."

This Lovegood girl was standing in line to buy her lunch; she wore a white and blue, striped shirt with brown, overall shorts that complimented her slim frame. Her hair, messy, liquid gold, fell past her waist and matched the muted yellow socks she was wearing. Various bruises and shades of green paint scattered her knees.

"We only talked a few times last year, but she was very different." Neville said, drawing Ginny out of her thoughts.

"How so?" she asked, trying to focus her eyes anywhere but the Lovegood girl.

"It's hard to say, but on our first day she talked to a lot of strangers. She even asked me about my major-" he tried to explain.

"That doesn't seem very strange." she interjected.

"Well, by the second day, she dyed her hair blue. Like bubblegum blue," Neville began, "and before you say anything, yes, she is an art student so it's not _that_ strange. And she is nice, there's no denying that. She just talks to herself a lot. She doesn't seem all there." Neville clarified.

"Does Lovegood have a first name?" Ginny asked, eyes wandering back to the girl.

"Luna. Luna Lovegood." Neville replied.

"Luna." Ginny repeated.

She watched as Luna skipped along the cafeteria with an orange in hand. Upon looking at her again, Ginny noticed the paintbrush tucked behind her ear and dangling earrings in the shape of lightbulbs.

"Why? Do you have a class with her or something?" Neville asked.

"I don't think so. I think I would have seen her by now." Ginny answered.

"Then why the sudden interest in Lovegood?"

Ginny shrugged and struggled to produce an answer, because honestly, she didn't know what made her so interested in the girl; regardless, towards the end of lunch, Ginny decided she would talk to Luna.

As Ginny walked over to the table Luna was seated at, she failed to notice her untied shoelaces, resulting in her crashing to the floor in a wave of flailing arms and a very loud thud.

"Oh, my." Ginny heard a soft voice say.

Looking up, Ginny was met with the face of Luna Lovegood. Her pale blue eyes peered into Ginny's green, studying her face intricately. A few seconds passed before Ginny realized Luna had also been extending her hand to help her off the ground.

"Are you alright?" Luna asked, as she helped lift her off the floor. Ginny's hands sat strangely in Luna's; it felt almost like a jigsaw puzzle, the way their fingers intertwined.

"Eh, that's nothing," Ginny laughed, trying to ignore the forest fire of a blush that was probably radiating her cheeks.

"It seemed like a very, nasty fall. Are you certain?" Luna pondered, motioning to Ginny to sit with her at the table.

"I am the only girl of seven children, I'm used to a lot worse actually. Fred and George, the simpleton fools of my ever growing family, once convinced me to jump from our roof! Long story short, I broke my femur. And the femur is the largest bone in the bod-" Ginny started, before realizing she had been rambling on and on to a girl that didn't even know her name.

Sighing, Ginny held her face in her palms, "Would it be alright if we started over? With introductions and all that?"

"Most assuredly." the blonde answered.

"I'm Ginerva Weasley, but my friends call me Ginny. You can call me Ginny too, if you like." she said, drawing a breath.

"What a pleasure. I'm Luna Lovegood, although I'm sure you knew that. There's not a soul at this school who doesn't speak of me," Luna smiled, sadly. "You can call me anything you like, as long as it isn't any variation of the word _loony_."

Ginny was lost for words, but eventually asked, "Do people call you that on a regular basis, Luna?"

"Often more times than not." she replied.

Anger began to bubble inside of Ginny, "Well, they'll stop doing it this year. I won't let them keep on."

"That is very considerate of you, Ginny." Luna smiled, this time sincerely.

"It's in my Weasley nature."

Luna laughed and reached into her messenger bag, pulling out a pen. Taking Ginny's hand, she scrawled some words onto her skin and began to blow, all while counting the freckles.

"Um, Luna?" Ginny started, "What are you doing?"

"I live off campus, but the address isn't too difficult," she said, continuing to blow on Ginny's skin, "I wrote in blue, but I forgot that this ink takes more time to dry."

"And what am I to do with this address, per say?" Ginny asked.

"I assumed you would use it to know where to pick me up."

"Pick you up?" the red haired girl repeated, questioningly.

"For a date. Is that not why you sought me out?" Luna asked, frowning.

Ginny frowned too. Despite how much she thought, weaving complex theories of why she approached Luna, she was left with nothing. Did she want a date? Or merely want to have a conversation?

It was no secret that Ginny had dated girls before, but they had all been relatively short lived flings, whereas, her most recent, long term relationship was with her older brothers' friend. And, of course Harry was a well mannered and respectable guy. He just wasn't right for Ginny. She was too much for him to handle; her opinions overwhelmed him, and it was nearly impossible for them to find middle ground.

Ginny hadn't dated since Harry, though.

"Ginny?" Luna asked, her voice laced with worry.

Luna was definitely a colorful character, as wild and strange as the moon itself.

"I could pick you up around seven on Thursday?" Ginny beamed at the blonde.

"Seven on Thursday." Luna confirmed, reaching over to give Ginny's hand a small squeeze.

As Luna stood up to leave, she turned back to look at Ginny once more, and waved goodbye. Who knew Ginny had a thing for blondes? Especially blondes with eyes like those.


End file.
